Buhari summons APC NWC meeting

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has invited the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for a meeting today.

Likely in the agenda is a review of the outcome of the 2019 polls and how to make amends where necessary to put the party in a better shape.

It was also learnt that the session will consider the President’s “Next Level” agenda and how to ensure the buy-in of all APC elected and political office holders at the federal, state and local government levels.

Besides, the forthcoming Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections may be part of the talks.

The President initiated the session to foster a new “consultative channel” between him and the party, The Nation learnt.

The meeting between Buhari and APC leaders will hold at the Presidential Villa by noon.

Ahead of the meeting, the NWC members met for hours yesterday to prepare their position on matters which may come up.

Sources said tension-related issues in the party may be put on the front burner to avoid cracks in APC and strengthen the party.

In the last few weeks, there has been a crisis of confidence between Oshiomhole and the Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, who was recommended for expulsion.

National Vice Chairman (North-West) Inuwa Abdulkadir was suspended by the Magajin Garin Ward.

The two national officers of the party have stayed away from the National Secretariat.

A former National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has been leading calls for Oshiomhole’s resignation.

Also, the handling of the party’s primaries in some states has created some misgivings.

APC has been unable to appoint a National Secretary since the election of the former holder, Mai Mala Buni, as governor of Yobe State.

Read Also: UPDATED: Buhari to swear in ministers August 21

A source, who confided in our correspondent, said:  ”The meeting will review the outcome of the elections. It is going to be a stock-taking session. We will look at our areas of strength and weaknesses to chart the way forward.

“And it is not yet over because we have elections coming up in November in Bayelsa and Kogi states. This is a timely invitation by the President.

“All issues in the party will be considered with the President, especially why certain things happened and the decisions taken. Since Oshiomhole came on board, he has placed premium on discipline and party supremacy.

“Some decisions of the APC leadership have not gone well with a few leaders but the President will have firsthand knowledge and we will all discuss some of these issues.”

Asked if the cases of Shuaibu and Abdulkadir might come up, the source added: “Issues in the party will be discussed. The most important thing is to keep the party stronger at all levels.”

The source said the “Next Level agenda” is a major item for consideration.

The source added: “A key point of the session  is the Next Level agenda of the President. We want  to ensure that our elected and appointed political office holders align with the progressive objective of the party.

“The way governance is being run at the state and local government levels, there is no clear distinction between APC states and those of the opposition, especially PDP states.

“APC is pro-masses. We want our policies and programmes at Federal , state and local government levels to be different and unique. So, all our elected and appointed political office holders must implement the agenda of the President.

“If you cast your mind back to the Second Republic, the progressives in UPN, GNPP and PRP were outstanding  in performance than those in the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). This is our target.”

Another source gave insights into how the meeting was conceived by the President and the party.

The source said:  ”The need for rapprochement between the party and the President has been on the cards even before the last elections. We had agreed that the President and the party should be meeting periodically.

“It is part of what we proposed as a tradition so that the President and the party will be on the same page in terms of policy, dialogue and other matters.

“Unfortunately, the campaign and the challenges of elections did not allow us to go ahead with the idea. Now that our government has been re-elected into power, we feel the time is ripe to foster it.

“In deference to APC, the President wanted to come to the National Secretariat but he later changed his mind because of security logistics which his movement may attract.”